Vietnam are ready to meet Laos in their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup Group A opener on November 8, according to Vietnam’s head coach Park Hang-seo.

The match will take place at 7:30pm at the Laos National Stadium in Vientiane, which can host 20,000 spectators.

The Korean coach said in a press release ahead of the match that his team had prepared carefully for their first victory.

“Matches are always difficult. The match against Laos will not be easy but we have prepared well in terms of spirit and physical strength,” he said.

“I have watched Laos in recent matches and analysed the way they play. I think that Laos will play defensively and we are prepared to deal with that. I believe Vietnam will take three points from the game,” the 59-year-old coach said.

Park also expressed his pride when leading a young Vietnamese team. “There are 15 players under 23 and eight over 23 in our team, so we have a very young squad. Their enthusiasm and self-motivation will create an interesting competition,” he said.

Vietnam’s strong performances over the past year have led to huge expectations among supporters.

They won the silver medal for the first time ever at the AFC U23 Championship in China in January. They also advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games in Indonesia in August.